Where can you find the Lijun? I've found their site but the don't seem to actually sell them there. eBay turns up a bunch of Liojouy (or something like that) but I don't think it's the same thing.
Lijuns can be difficult to find at times. They have come up on ebay, or used on shave forums B&T, but tough to predict when & how often. I've heard two rumors: either the manufacturer no long lists on ebay; or LioJuny is the new distributor of the Lijun brand. I can't steak to the validity of either statement.
If "buy" is the operator here, I too vote for the Semogue 1305. Before I aquired the 1305, my favorite brush was the Vulfix 404.
I ordered a LiJun (Liojuny) 26mm Silvertip "Alaska" in ebony. Here's to hoping it was $30 well spent! Here's the manufacturer image (pulled from eBay). I'll post a picture of the actual brush (and maybe a review?) once it arrives in 2 weeks or so
I found the answer if your concerned that Frank's Brushes won't back up a sale. Lee's Shaving, the company sells the Mergress, has the $25 Frank's brush. I would guess he'd special order others. But the point is he has a super clean reputation on follow through. Price , quality and customer service.
I remembered which one I was forgetting: Muhle black fibre v2 synthetic, paid a little extra to get a nice wooden handle and it still came in under $30 shipped from Connaught.
I have to agree with PatrickA51. Larry at Whipped Dog makes great brushes at low prices. Besides that, he is a consummate gentleman.
I received my Liojuny Silvertip in the mail this morning (luckily, it was before I shaved!) and got to use it for the first time today: The equipment: -Liojuny 26mm "Alaska" Silvertip -Proraso Sandalwood soap -RazoRock Mission razor -Gilette Silver Blue The biggest difference I noticed over my Escali (not much to compare, but it's what I had) it the weight and density of the knot. The hair was incredibly soft, but had a decent amount of backbone. The handle is plastic, but it's lathed not molded so there aren't any seams and it feels very high quality. When I got my Escali, it smelled TERRIBLE for the first few weeks, but that wasn't the case with the Liojuny. When I first soaked it, there was a slight "funk" but it was quickly covered by the mild scent of my Proraso Sandalwood soap. Overall, is have to say this is a fantastic brush for the money! If you're looking for a quality silvertip but don't want to break the bank, grab a Liojuny!
Here are some photos of the brush with my old Escali. I'll post a "bloom" photo of the Liojuny tonight when I get home from work
There are a plethora of choices for $40. Boar (Omega or Semogue), horsehair (Vie-Long) or Badger. One of my favorite badgers is a pure badger TGN knot I put in an Ever-Ready 1000 handle.
Don't bet that it's Horse,looks like a perfect Boar ! I have a turkish brush,a Jaguar Boar,flat shape Very poor craftsmanship,the worst i have seen in a brush,when i post it will details you will see them In lather the knot is very good,the Omega's Boars are more tough.
That's not a #6. I paid $2.45 for my #6. It's held up just fine. Is my Vie-Long better? I don't believe so. Different folks, different strokes.
To the OP, I'm glad you found and are happy with your purchase. When the AD gets to you and you just have to see what the buzz about some of the others, I just want to throw out another mark for both the Vulfix 404 Grosvenor hybrid and the Semogue Owner's Club boar. Both are outstanding and I can't keep track of which one I use the most lately. I pass up >$350 in brushes every shave and reach for them. Cheers! Looks like that is a damn fine brush you got there
I'm new to DE shaving and bought a Parker synthetic brush to avoid smells, and to be be nice to the critters. With more research, I've found that there are better quality brushes, such as H.I.S. (check this article: http://sharpologist.com/2012/06/synthetic-hair-shave-brushes-part-2.html)
